In today""s telephone networks (both those in the PSTN and those using so-called Internet telephony), a party calling a busy telephone number cannot communicate with the party using the called number without human assistance; that is assistance from either the party using the called number (e.g. in response by that party to a call waiting signal), or by an assisting telephone company operator (e.g. in response to an additional call to a telephone number reserved exclusively for operator assistance). Operator-assisted interventionxe2x80x94termed xe2x80x9cbarge-inxe2x80x9dxe2x80x94is difficult to obtain, since it usually requires the caller to convince an assisting operator that a crisis or emergency situation exists justifying the barge-in action.
Furthermore, in today""s networks, a party using the called number when an operator uses a barge-in connection is not immediately placed in contact with the caller; i.e. the using party is first interrupted by the operator (e.g. with an explanation of the caller""s situation and a request to have the called party talk with the caller). Thus, even a caller who can reasonably justify barge-in intervention is still delayed by having to call and converse with an assistance operator and then having to wait for the operator to contact the party instantly using the called number.
Thus, a traveler having an urgent need to call home can be unnecessarily delayed by a busy condition at the called number and intervening calls to and discussions with assistance operators of the telephone system. Therefore, we perceive a need for an automated barge-in service or feature that would eliminate such delays.
In accordance with our invention, telephone systems (either existing or yet to be developed) would be adapted to provide and support an automated barge-in service or feature that is controlled directly by a subscriber to that service or by a party pre-designated by a subscriber as authorized to use the service.
In a preferred embodiment, when a subscriber or authorized party calls a specific telephone number entitled to automated barge-in service (e.g. a home or office number), and that number is busy, the call is automatically routed to or intercepted by telephone system apparatus adapted to: (a) verify that the caller is authorized to use automated barge-in; (b) that the number called is both that associated with the respective caller and currently busy; and (c) establish a conference connection between the authorized caller and the associated called number if conditions (a) and (b) are confirmed; the conference connection enabling the caller to speak directly with people currently using the called number.
In this embodiment, if the called site is subscribed to Call Waiting service, the routing to or interception by the apparatus handling automated barge-in is delayed until a predetermined number of call waiting tones or clicks have been applied to and apparently ignored at that site.
The process for confirming conditions (a) and (b) above, as presently contemplated, involves presentation of a recorded or synthesized announcement requiring the caller to speak or key in a password or other identification function uniquely associated with their authority to use automated barge-service in respect to the called number. If the caller fails to respond, or responds with an incorrect identification, barge-in action would not be provided.
In such instances, if the called site has voice mail service, the call would be routed automatically to the facility managing the voice mail service, allowing the caller to leave a recorded voice message. If the called site does not have voice mail service, the apparatus handling the automated barge-in function would present the caller with a recorded announcement indicating that the caller is being disconnectedxe2x80x94e.g. a recorded announcement saying xe2x80x9cgood byexe2x80x9dxe2x80x94and the call would be disconnected from the telephone system.
Thus, a traveling parent subscribed to this automated barge-in service could call home, encounter a busy or unresponsive line condition at the called number (e.g. due to the line being used by a child or spouse), and directly add himself or herself to an existing call on the called line through the above-mentioned conference connection.
In an alternative embodiment, automated barge-in service would be offered through a call to a special number; e.g. an 800 number connected to apparatus for handling automated barge-in service for a specific group of subscribers, geographic area or other region. In this arrangement, a caller authorized for automated barge-in service might first try a home or office number to which the barge-in service is applicable, and then, if unable to connect, call the special number. Apparatus serving the latter number would confirm the caller""s authorization for automated barge-in service as above, automatically look up the home or office telephone number to which the service applies, verify that the applicable number is busy, and create a conference connection to that number as above.
A possible disadvantage of this alternative process could be that it may require the caller to make two calls instead of one; i.e. a call to the intended end user site followed by a call to the special number. However, that should occur only if calls to the special number are more costly than calls to the end user site; i.e. if calls to the special number are sufficiently economical, that number could be called first, making the xe2x80x9cextraxe2x80x9d call to the end user site unnecessary. Furthermore, an advantage over the first embodiment could be realized if apparatus performing this process through the special number is adapted to instantly verify the caller""s authorization for barge-in, instantly determine the end user site associated with that authorization (e.g. by look up in a database table) and instantly effectuate either ringing of the associated end user site (if that site is not instantly in use) or barge-in connection to that site (if the site is in use). This last sequence of automated actions might be impractical for a caller having barge-in authorization to several end user sites; in which case, the apparatus reached through the special number would have to inter-act with the caller to determine the site to be called or barged into (e.g. via a recorded announcement asking the caller to key in or speak the telephone number to be contacted).
Either of the foregoing embodiments could easily be incorporated into either computerized switches serving end user sites of today""s PSTN, AIN subsystems of the PSTN, or Internet servers managing Internet Telephony applications.
These and other features, advantages, benefits and other attributes of our invention will be more fully understood from the following description and claims.